Zuccarello, Lundqvist help Rangers edge Capitals
NEW YORK -- Mats Zuccarello's 12th goal of the season midway through the third period lifted the New York Rangers to a 2-1 win over the Washington Capitals at Madison Square Garden on Sunday afternoon.
Ryan McDonagh also scored and Henrik Lundqvist picked up the win after stopping 31 shots, including one from Evgeny Kuznetsov on the doorstep in the final minute.
Alex Ovechkin scored his 27th goal of the season for the Capitals. Backup goaltender Philipp Grubauer was strong in net but took the loss despite 28 saves.
The Rangers held a 19-10 edge in shots after the first period but were outshot 22-12 over the final 40 minutes.
McDonagh's goal at 7:49 of the first period gave the Rangers a 1-0 lead. It was mostly an individual effort, as he had his initial shot from the left faceoff circle stopped by Grubauer, but he collected the loose puck, tucked it between the skates of the Capitals' Nicklas Backstrom and roofed a shot that Grubauer could not stop.
Mika Zibanejad appeared to make it 2-0 late in the first period but the goal was waved off. The Capitals challenged that the Rangers were offside, and video showed McDonagh had entered the zone ahead of the puck about 30 seconds before Zibanejad scored.
Ovechkin's power-play goal with 2:36 remaining in the second period tied the game at 1. He didn't get off his shot cleanly, causing it to flutter off Rangers defenseman Nick Holden and past Lundqvist.
Grubauer and Lundqvist did well to keep it a 1-1 game after 40 minutes. Grubauer made two great stops on Kevin Hayes and another when Chris Kreider got behind the Capitals' defense for a breakaway. Lundqvist outwaited Ovechkin in a 1-on-1 situation and made a left pad save and also flashed his glove on a chance by Tom Wilson from the slot.
Zuccarello scored off what appeared to be a set play. Zibanejad won an offensive draw directly to Kreider, who slipped it to Zuccarello in the slot for a one-time shot inside the right post.
NOTES: Capitals G Braden Holtby served as the backup and has yet to play on back-to-back days this season. He is on pace to make 62 starts, four fewer than he made last season. ... Capitals LW Jakub Vrana and D Taylor Chorney were healthy scratches. ... Rangers LW Pavel Buchnevich was back in the lineup for LW Matt Puempel after serving as a healthy scratch Thursday against the New York Islanders. ... Rangers D Kevin Klein (illness) returned to action after a one-game absence. ... Rangers D Adam Clendening was a healthy scratch.